Possible Acceptance into Graduate School, but I have a Criminal Record?

Graduate School
1

QUESTION:

Hello:

I am trying to get into Alvernia University’s Graduate Program in the Summer of 2019. I have a bach., degree from there for BA. I was filling out the application 2 nights ago and it came to the section on, do you have a criminal record. I marked yes. I have NEVER been involved in drugs in any way, shape, or form. I have NEVER been arrested at any institute of higher education at all for any reason. Both incidents that I was arrested for were alcohol related arrests, to which I did get into a physical altercation in both of them.

Incident 1-I got drunk and got into a fight with my dad where both of us punched each other and he pressed charges on me, landing me in BCP for 14 days. I was accepted to the ARD Program, completed it and my records pertaining to this instance were expunged.

Incident 2-We were all drinking at my brother in law’s place and my niece made a rude comment to me, so I returned an expletive, she returned one to me and I returned the same one louder. So, I went from the back porch about 25 feet through the house and ended up on the front-porch. Then my brother in law came charging out and he tried to grab for the beer that I took with me, but he grabbed my arm instead and then it was on. The beer fell from beneath my arm and as he came at me I pushed him back, he then came at me again and I did the same thing as I did before, but this time I cocked my right hand as I believed that I was going to have to defend myself. He took off into the house, yelled for my sister, she and my niece came out all yelling at me and so I walked back out onto the front-porch, heard a loud bang and apparently my sister slammed the wooden door so hard she broke it (later I was accused of kicking the door in) and she called the cops so I waited. Cop shows up and immediately goes over to my brother in law, now here is the kicker. My brother in law is a firefighter up where they live and also owns his own landscaping business and deals with police all the time. When the officer finally came over to me I asked if they knew each other and my brother in law answered YES, we do! I knew then nothing was going to go in my favor. So, I showed the cop my arm where he grabbed me, which was red and you could slightly see finger marks in the redness as well, which actually turned B+B about 2 days after, to which I still have the phots that I took of it, somewhere, any way I said I guess I am going to take this one up the butt too. The officer asked what happened to the door and I said she slammed it and broke it, they said I kicked it in. I said to the officer if I kicked the door in, then why is the door facing outward toward the front-porch and not inward facing the living room and all of the damage was on the inner-side of the door. The officer said to me, oh you must think you are a smart guy. I said back to him, a little smarter than you are apparently. He then said if you are going to act like a “jackass” turn around. He then put the cuffs on ad I spent 6 hours in a drunk tank and when I was released, stayed at a hotel for about a week. At the hearing, I plead guilty to everything and so I got no sentence or any fines, just a stern warning from the judge.

Between the time of that incident (2), I had gone to Rehab in Valley Forge, PA, I attended counseling class at TASC, saw a therapist related to the alcohol, joined AA, made sure all my fines were paid from the previous incident (1) and made amends to all those that I hurt. In both incidents, the charges were all misdemeanors, I have NO felonies on my record at all.

I admit, I am human and make mistakes, but my question is will this affect me getting admitted to Graduate School or not? If so, in what way, are there any other courses of action suggested, are there online colleges that offer an MBA Program-or any colleges in PA that will accept someone with a criminal record and where? How does all of this affect my financial aid.

PS: This coming November 25, 2018-I will have 3 full years of sobriety. :slight_smile:

2

Best post ever ! Thank You !

My favorite lines: “The officer said to me, oh you must think you are a smart guy. I said back to him, a little smarter than you are apparently.”

Depends upon the individual school as to whether or not they will admit you.

Should not affect financial aid.

There are several dozen, maybe hundreds, of online MBA programs.

Your story can be helpful if it motivated you to become a counselor. The details, however, may harm your chances for any on campus programs. Consider reducing it to the essential facts: I had a drinking problem that resulted in two arrests for disorderly conduct. One incident has been expunged, and the other resulted in no penalties other than a stern warning from the judge. I acknowledged my role & responsibility in both of the incidents. I have successfully completed alcohol rehabilitation and have been sober for three years now.

3

So, I wouldn’t share the details of the story on your personal statement or anything like that. You talk about being in recovery on your personal statement and how you have come such a long way, but don’t go into details about this stuff on the application. I would suggest you contact the grad programs directly and see if they can give you any insight about it being an issue. Usually if it’s old enough they don’t care. However, some times you will have a placement or internship at a particular agency that requires a background check and that you not have certain kinds of convictions, so I would look into that possibility in grad school. There are things you can do to have your record sort of forgiven, and hidden from view, but it never really goes away from places like hospitals or schools or the government. It’s ok though, so many people in this field have a history like this, so don’t worry, just talk to people in the know about it and find a way of making this story a lot lot shorter, like this is TMI, you need to break this down into like a paragraph tops and talk to someone at the university.

4

Within the past decade, a convicted murderer was admitted an elite law school. Cannot recall which law school, but a google search may yield results. (However, graduating from law school & passing a bar exam does not necessarily mean that one with a criminal record will be admitted to the bar. Some state bars do C&F background checks only on those who have sat for & passed the state bar test. Most do C&F before allowing one to sit for the state bar exam.)

5

One incident was expunged so it is erased and other was a strict warning? If this is the case,the first does not exist and the second resulted in no charges. So there would be nothing to report in my humble opinion.

6

In the second case there was a charge and, by virtue of the guilty plea, a conviction. That he was given no real fine or sentence does not mean there was no conviction, and it will appear in a background check. It just means that he can answer “no” to questions about jail time and fines.

7

@jt198222 - Welcome to the forum (albeit a bit belatedly). I agree with the comments made by others. You definitely should keep the description of the conviction minimal. Focus your statement on why you want to attend that specific graduate program. If you still have faculty contacts at this university, then they can certainly help you with a strong letter as they know you from your undergraduate studies.